Cycling shoes having an upper mounted on a bottom plate are well-known. The bottom plate is provided to permit rigid attachment of the shoe to lugs on the pedal, and to provide the shoe with the required vertical and lateral stiffness for efficient riding. In particular, during the rotation of the pedals, the rider transmits numerous forces to the pedals through the shoes. Readily apparent are the vertical forces which drive the pedals. Less apparent are lateral and torsional forces which result from the natural motion of alternately driving the right pedal and then the left pedal downwardly. In so doing, the rider's upper leg is repeatedly forced out of plane (in a vertical direction) relative to each pedal, and therefore relative to the foot, which is rididly attached to the pedal. The vertical misalignment between the rider's upper leg and the pedal is largely absorbed by the knee. The bending moment applied to the knee as a result of the rider's out of plane motion tires and wears on the knee.
While different cycling shoe designs are known, the prior art includes no shoe which effectively relieves the bending moment on the knee, while still providing the rigidity and strength required by the rider.
A need therefore remains for a cycling shoe which is strong and rigid in the lateral and vertical directions, and which at the same time provides the rider a measure of torsional flexibility to relieve the bending moment on the rider's knees.